Laura K. Jones

Laura K. Jones is a Visiting Assistant Professor in the Department of Anthropology at Emory University. Her academic background includes a PhD in Anthropology from Rice University (2010), postdoctoral fellowships at the Yerkes National Primate Center and Emory University School of Medicine, and additional training at institutions like Tulane University and the University of Texas Health Science Center. Her research focuses on surgical team dynamics, healthcare communication, and the application of anthropological methods to medical settings. Notable work includes studies on operating room behavior, telehealth innovation, and the impact of hierarchy in surgical environments.

Dr. Jones has received prestigious awards such as the 2010 Graduate Student Paper Prize from the Society for Medical Anthropology and the Josephine Louise Newcomb Fellowship. She has secured research grants totaling over $174,000, including projects on interprofessional communication in operating rooms and mitigating medical errors through team-based approaches. Her interdisciplinary work bridges anthropology, bioinformatics, and clinical practice, with a particular interest in wearable technology and mindfulness integration in healthcare.

Professional activities include roles as Principal Investigator at Kaiser Permanente and BioSelf Technology, as well as teaching and mentoring at Emory and Rice Universities. She has presented over 20 scholarly talks and posters at conferences like the American Anthropological Association meetings, focusing on topics ranging from ethological methods in surgery to medical error prevention strategies.